Therapy tank



1952 A. F. LANDERGOTT 2,587,335

THERAPY TANK Filed March 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet. l

INVENTOR Anton F. Lundergofl BY 7 4W ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1952 A. F. LANDERGOTT 2,587,335

THERAPY TANK Filed March 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3.

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Feb. 26, 1952 A. F. LANDERGOTT 2,587,335

THERAPY TANK Filed March 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.7.

INVENTOR. Antpn F. Lu nderqofl yeah 6% 1952 A. F. LANDERGOTT ,3

THERAPY TANK Filed March a, 1947 5 SheetS Sheet 4 Fig.8.

INVENTQR. Anton F. Londerqofl A. F. LANDERGOTT Feb. 26, 1952 THERAPY TANK 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 6, 1947 INVENTOR. Anton F. Lundergofl Patented Feb. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for the treatment of legs and feet, and more particularly to-a tank for maintaining and circulating a turbulent stream of hot water for use in reducing swellings of sprains and fractures and for massaging the affected parts.

It has been found that by the application of a stream of water at about 100 F. and under high pressure, mixed with occluded air, a highly beneficial therapeutic healing of sprains and the like is eifected. Various forms of apparatus have been devised for supplying air to a fast flowing stream of water and to maintain such stream in a state of turbulence by inserting liquid impelling mechanism intanks and immersing electrical heating elements therein. Such devices have not gone into extensive use because their appearance frightens patients with the thought of electrocution.

In accordance with the present invention a therapy tank is provided in which all of the operating parts, except the liquid and air supplying nozzle, are mounted externally of the tank, and controls are provided for regulating the liquid and air flow at one end of the tank.

The invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings. constituting a part hereof, in which like reference characters designate like parts, and in which I Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a therapy tank and control panel embodying the principles of this invention.

Fig. 2 a top plan view of the control mechanism with the panel removed;

Fig. 3 a side elevational view, partially in cross section, taken along the line 33, Fig. 1, of .a portion of the tank operating mechanism and the hydro air nozzle;

, Fig. 4 a cross sectional view of the nozzle, taken along the line 4-4, Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 a cross sectional view, partially in elevation, taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 10 a vertical sectional view of the drain x valve taken along the line |0I0, Fig. 11; and Fig. 11 a similar view taken along the line I l-II, Figs. 9 and 10.

In the several figures of the drawings the numeral l designates a tank, preferably formed of stainless steel, which, as shown in Fig. 3, has a bottom 2 supported on a frame 3, Fig. 8, having casters or rollers 4 to render it mobile for use in treating patients. The tank I is of a general elliptical form and is provided with a frame 5 at one end for mounting control mechanism for a hydro air nozzle, generally designated by the numeral 6, Fig. 3, which, is mounted on a column 1 to be vertically movable thereon and which may be adjusted to angular positions by a rod 8, the nozzle 6, as shown in Fig. 4, having a lug 9 with a slot l0 that engages the rod 8, the latter being oifset as shown at H, to function as a crank in manipulating nozzle 6 for angular adjustment.

As shown in Fig. 7, nozzle 6 is mounted on a cross yoke l2 having threaded openings interacting with the threads I3 of a pair of jack screws l4 and Ma connected by sprocket wheels I5, I50. and chain [6 to be simultaneously operable, the screw l4 having a hand wheel or lever I! for manipulation to adjust the vertical height of the nozzle 6 relative to the base 2 of the tank; the lever I! on the control panel of Fig. 1 being designated Elevator and marked Lower and Raise.

The angular adjustment rod 8, Fig. '7, for the nozzle 6, is rotated by a sprocket chain l8, sheave wheel l9 and lever 20, shown on the control panel, Fig. l, as marked Angle setting.

The circulation of water in the tank I is controlled by a three-way valve 22, Figs. 3, 7, 8, 10 and 11. In Fig. 7 the valve is broken away as it is shown at right angles in relation to the nozzle operating parts as shown in Fig. '7. The valve is operated by a sprocket chain 23 through wheels 24 and 25, the latter being driven through bevel gears 26 by rotation of shaft 2'! at right angles to the shaft'28 of the sheave wheel 25. Shaft 21 extends to the control panel, Fig. l, and is operated by lever 29, the three-way valve adjustment being designated Hydro control which is marked Off, Run, Full and Drain.

The valve per se, designated 22a, controls the flow from the pump inlet passage 30 to the nozzle column I or to a drain line 3| to which a hose is connected for draining the tank by action of the pump when the valve 22a is set to the Drain position by lever 39, Fig. l.

The fluid supply to the valve 22 is by means of a pump, generally designated by the numeral 33, Fig. 8, driven by motor 34 through a belt drive 35, the pump being connected to valve 22 by a hose 36 and to the drain sump 31, Figs. 10

and 11, by a hose 38, which, through an L 39 connects to an opening 40 at the bottom at one side of the drain sump. The pump and motor are mounted on a plate 4| that is supported on the roller frame 3.

There is yet another control, designated Air that is manipulated by lever 42, Fig. 1, marked Off and Full, which controls the air supply to the nozzle 6 and to a spreader 43, Figs. 3, 5 and 7. The air supply is through tube I from an opening shown in dotted lines and designated by the numeral 44, Fig. 2 of the drawings, the opening being controlled by an inverted pearshaped valve 45 mounted on a lever 46 pivoted-at 4'! and connected by a link 48 to an arm 49 on shaft as that is manipulated by the lever 42. By adjusting lever 42, the size of opening 44 is varied to be fully opened as shown by the dotted line position of valve 45, Fig. 2, or fully closed as shown in the full line position.

The supply of liquid and air through the nozzle ii is as follows. With reference to Figs. 4 to 6 of the drawings, the fluid supplied by the pump through valve 22 is directed to nozzle 5| which is contained within the chamber of a larger nozzle 52 that is connected to the column I that supplies the air from the opening 44 at the top of the control panel. I The spreader 43 is likewise connected to column 1. The volume of air is drawn to nozzle 5 by the injector principle caused by the flow of the water through nozzle 5| and thence through nozzle 52 into the therapy tank, this flow creating a vacuum in the chamber 53 surrounding nozzle 5!, which vacuum is satisfied by the increase of air through column I. injector principle further functions to Withdraw air through the spreader 43 by the flow of air and liquid from nozzle 52 past the mouth of the spreader 43.

Other details of construction are the switch 54, Fig. l, on the control panel for energizing the pump motor 34. Also a temperature gauge 54a is mounted on the control panel of Fig. 1 to indicate the temperature of the water in the tank. A mounting bracket 55 supports the shaft 2Tfor operating valve 22; an apron 56 houses the control mechanism at the front of the tank, and the valve 22a, Fig. 10, is shown as provided with a shaft 5?, a packing gland 58 and a spring 59 to prevent binding of the valve 22a.

As shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, the drain sump a temperature of around 180 F. is placed in the tank 1 depending upon the depth of treatment to be given a patients foot or leg. Motor switch 54 is then set to energize the pump motor 34 and the valve lever 29 of the hydro control is set to the run position. The water is then pumped' through the pump 33 and delivered through tube '1 to the nozzle 5 from which it flows through nozzle 5! and nozzle 52 into the tank. 'The operatorsets the air lever to the On position to create a desired degree of turbulence and to charge the flowingliquid with occluded air, the adjustment being made by levers 29 and 42 to regulate both the volume flow of liquid and air as desired The angle lever 26 and the elevator lever I! are adjusted to bring the nozzle 52 to the desired angular and vertical position. This adjustment is important to impinge the flow from nozzle 52 on the part of the foot or leg to be treatfiq. For

The,

example, if the patient is sitting at the far end of the tank, as viewed from the right-hand side of Fig. 1, the angle adjustment would bring the nozzle to the position of directing the turbulent flow to either side of the forepart of the leg or foot and also to bring it around from the rear. If, for example, the treatment is to be applied from the rear, the angle adjustment will cause the flow to be diverted from one side to strike the patients leg at the rear from the other side of the tank. The rate and volume of liquid flow and the amount of air flow regulates the massaging action of the muscle and flesh of the treated parts with greatly beneficial results as is well known to those skilled in the art of therapeutic treatments. When the treatment has been continued for a desired period of time, the hydro control lever 29 is shifted to the drain position and the pump will drain the fluid from the screen sump or drain 3'! through valve 22a to the outlet passage 3! which completely empties the therapy tank. The motor switch 54 is then snapped to the Off position and the treatment is completed.

It is evident from the foregoing description of the invention that therapy tanks as herein described provide a clean and unencumbered treating tank with all of the operating parts underneath the tank, and the control unit at one end of the tank, in such manner that the patient cannot be injured in the use of the treatment. The structure is rugged and durable and there are no wearing parts except the pump unit which is readily accessible for inspection and repair. The entire mechanism is housed in stainless steel sheeting, giving it an ornamental and pleasing appearance.

By use of the compact adjustable nozzle and by employment of the injector principle, any desired volume of air needed is available without the use of special blower equipment and the adjusting mechanism is of simple construction and easy to regulate.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

1. In a therapy tank, means for circulating and maintaining a turbulent stream of liquid and air including a nozzle with means for adjustingthe same vertically and angularly in said tank, said nozzle being connected to a chamber communicating with the atmosphere, a second nozzle within said chamber communicating with a source of liquid under pressure, means for re gulating the flow of liquid to said second-named nozzle and means for regulating the air passage leading to the first-named nozzle chamber whereby to control .the amount of occluded air in the flowing stream.

means for regulating the valve to control the 3. In a therapy tank for circulating air and liquid under pressure, a nozzle mounted for verj tical and angular adjustment therein, a pump for circulating liquid from the tank through said nozzle, air supply means to said nozzle, a valve controlling the flow of liquid from the pump to said nozzle, and control means at one end of said tank embodying manually operable controls for the vertical and angular movements of said nozzle and for the volume of liquid and air supplied through said nozzle, said nozzle having a spout for supplying air to the flow stream after it is emitted from the mouth of the nozzle.

4. Portable hydrotherapy apparatus comprising a movable support, a tank mounted upon said support, a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet in the bottom of said tank, a motor driven pump mounted upon said sup-port below said tank, said pump having inlet and discharge passages, conduits connecting said pump inlet and discharge passages to the outlet and inlet in said tank, respectively, and an aeration injection unit mounted within said tank and communicating with said liquid inlet for injecting aerated liquid into said tank.

ANTON F. LANDERGOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,091,167 Solley Aug. 24, 1937 2,237,435 Ille Apr. 8, 1941 20 2,336,127 Rocke Dec. 7, 1943 

